Football visimeter



March 26, 1929 G. AUER, JR

FOOTBALL VI S IMETER Filed June 19, 1928 a/g. l.

QQ f2 I N V EN TOR.

mgl/h vBY A TTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 26, v1929.

PATENT oFFicE.

.. GUSTAVUB AUEB, JR., F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

VISIMETER.

Application led June 19, 1928. Serial No. 286,632.

device which will visibly indicate the p ays gained.

as they occur.

.It is now customary to broadcast from a radio transmitting station a play by play description of football games and, due to the broadcasting by the broadcaster of explanatory matter when the game is interrupted, the radio public who are listening in have difficulty in following the different plays and the progress of the game. l My present lnveiition has been especially designed for use, not only by a spectator,

but for use by one who is listening to a broadcast description of a game so that, when play is resumed after an interruption, he has a visible record of the score, the approximate location of the ball, the side which has the ball, the number of downs, the period, and the yards to be gained for a first down.

With the above and other objects in view as will hereinafter appear, my invention comprehends a novel football visimeter.

It further comprehends novel means for indicating the approximate position of the ball, the different sides, the possessor of the ball, the score, the period, the number ofv downs, and the distance which is Ato be Other novel features of constructiony and advantage will hereinafter more clearly appear in the detailed description and the appended claims.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings a typical embodiment of it, which, in practice, will ve reliable and satisfactory results. It 1s, however, to be understood that this embodiment is typical only and that the various instrumentalities of' visimeter, embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a. top plan view partl cut away to show more clearly the detail vconstruction.

Figure 3 is aside elevation. n

Figure 4 is a section on line 44 of f Filriire 2.

imilar numerals of reference indicate corresponding' parts.

Referring to the drawings The body portion of the score indicator is formed by the bottom plate 0r sheet 1, the intermediate plate or sheet 2, the topv plate 0r sheet 3 and the spacing members 4 and 5. The to plate 3 has a football field 6 indicated t ereon with the five yard lines numbered and the top plate has a slot 7 extending longitudinally of the football field. An indicator 8 preferably vin the form of a football is connected through the slot with a manually adjustable slide 9. The indicator 8 preferably has pointers 10 which extend lateral] and overhang the yard lines of the field tol indicate the approximate yard line on which the ball is located.

The top plate 3 is provided with openings 11 and 12 located at opposite ends of the field and through these openings are visible letters indicative of the teams which are playing.

In proximity to the openings 11 and 12 are the openings 13 and 14 through which the score of each team is visible".

The top plate 3 is provided with an opening 15 through which is indicated the number of the period of the ame. The top plate' 3 is also provided wit an opening 16 through which is indicated the number of yards to be gained by the side which has possession of theball.

In order to indicate the side which has possession of the ball, I provide a manually adjustable slide 17 having indicated thereon in two places the word Ball, The slide 17 is movable to bring one of the words into registry with an opening 17 in the top plate, or the other word Ball into registry with an opening 18 in the top plate 3.

The to plate 3 is provided with an opening 19 t rough which a number is visible which is indicative of the number of downs which have been played. The numbers indicative of the downs are on a disc 20 as shown at 21. This disc 20 is rotatable on a headed pin 22 and has a ortion of its periphery extending beyon the side of vthe body portion `of the indicator as will be understood from Figures 1 and 2. The period disc 23 has indicated on it numerals 24 indicative of the periods played and is rotatable on a headed pin 25. The disc 2G has indicated on it the numbers 27 indicative of the yards to be gained and is mounted on a headed pin 28.

The dises 29 have indicated on them letters of the alphabet as at 30 and are mounted on headed pins 31. One of these discs 29 are yprovided for each team and their letters are adapted to be brought into registry with the openings 11 and 12.

The score indicating discs for each team are of the same construction and I have therefore identified them by the same reference characters.

The larger disc 32 has numerals 33 thereon and is-mounted on a headed pin 34 between tlie bottom plate 1 and the. intermediate plate 2. The smaller disc 35 is also mounted on the pin 34 but is disposed be.- tween the intermediate plate 2 and the top plate 3. The disc 35 has numerals 36 on it and is provided with an outwardly extending tab 37 which forms a grasping handle. The disc 35 has an opening 38, registering with an opening 39 in the intermediate plate 3 so that numerals on the lower disc 32 will be visible through its respective opening 13 or 14 in the top plate 3.

lit willbe apparent from the foregoing that have devised a novel game recorder which will indicate the position of the ball on the playing field, the different teams and their scores, the side which has possession of the ball, the period, the downs, and the yards which are to be gained, by the side which has ossession of the ball.

Having t us described my invention what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1-. A play recorder for football games comprising a body portion having a football field represented thereon and a slot extending longitudinally of the field and having Ian opening, an adjusting strip slidably carried by said body portion for movement longitudinally thereof and having one end extending exterior of said body portion to form a grasping handle, an indicator visible through said openings, and, an indicator simulating football secured to said strip and overhanging the marginal portions of said slot to indicate the relative positionvat which `the football is in play at any period of the game.

2. A play recorder for football games comprising a body portion having a football field represented thereon and al slot extending longitudinally of the field and provided with an opening, an adjusting strip slidably carried by said body portion for movement longitudinally thereof and having one end extending exterior of said body portion to form a grasping handle, an indicator simu lating football secured to. said strip and overhanging the marginal portions of said slot to indicate the relative position at which the football is in play at any period of the game, and rotatable discs carried by the body portion to. indicate the score for each side visible through said opening.

3. A play recorder for football games comprising a body portion having a football field represented thereon and a slot extending longitudinally of the field and having openings, an adjusting strip slidably carried by said bodyl portion for movement longitudinally thereof and having one end extending exterior of said body portion to form a grasping handle, an indicator simulating football secured to said strip and overhanging the marginal portions of said slot to indicate-the relative position at which the football is in play at any period of the game, rotatable discs carried by the body portion to indicate the score for each side, visible through said openings, and means rotatably carried by said body portion to indicate the yards to be gained by the side having possession of the ball.

4f. A play recorder for football games comprising a body portion having a football iield represented thereon and a slot extending longitudinally of the field and provided with an opening, an adjusting strip slidably carried by said body portion for movement longitudinally thereof and having one end extending exterior of said body portion to form a grasping handle, an indivcator simulating football -secured to said strip and overhanging the marginal portions of said slot to indicate the relative position at which the football is in play at any period of the game, and means visible through said opening and rotatably carried by said body portion to indicated the downs which have been played.

5.4 A play recorder for football games comprising a body portion having a football field represented thereon and a slot extending longitudinally of the field and having an opening, an adjusting strip slidably carried by said body portion for movementlongitudinally thereof and having one end extending exterior of said body portion to form a grasping handle, an indicator simulating football secured to said strip and over- ,hanging the marginal portions of said slot to indicate the relative position .at which the football is in play at anyl period of the game, and means visible through said opening and adjustable on said body portion to 'indicate the" side Which has possession of the ball.

6. A play recorder for football games comprising a body portion having a football field represented thereon and a slot extending longitudinally of the field and having openings, an adjusting strip slidably carried by said body portion for movement longitudinally thereof and having one end extending exterior of said body portion to form a grasping handle, an indicator simulating football secured to said strip and overhanging the marginal portions of, said slot to indicate the relative position at which the4 football is in play at any pgriodA of the game, means spaced on said dy portion to indicate the teams, and their score, period indicating means, down indicating means, and means to indicate the yards to be gained, all of said means being visible through said openings.

7. A play recorder for football games, consisting of a body portion formed of plates, one of which has a football field rcpresented thereon and an opening extending longitudinally of the length of the field and a sliding indicator exposed through said opening and slidable to position it in correspondence with any position in the length of the field indicative of the position of the football in play, said indicator being of greater length than the entire play recorder and having one end or the other always protruding from one side of the recorder or the other to provide an operative handle for such indicator.

8. A. play recorder for football games, consisting of a body portion formed of plates, the outer'of which has a football field represented thereon and an opening extending longitudinally of the length of the field, and a movable indicator slidable in said opening to brin it in correspondence with a position in t e length of the field indicative of the location of the ball in play, and rotatable discs carried by said body portion and having indicia thereon indicative of the names of the teams, the score, the period of play, the downs, the yards to gain, and the identity of the team having ossession of the ball, said body portion aving` openings through which said indicia is visible.

9. A game recorder for football contests consisting of a body portion formed of plates one of which has a miniature football field represented thereon and openings through the plate and indicators exposed through said openings indicative of the progress of the game as simultaneously broadcasted by radio transmission.

'GUSTAVUS AUER, J n. 

